Basket



Aug- 7, 1934- W. VERHALEN 1,969,245

BASKET Filed April 25, 1952 E351- 'Et- 2- Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES Pairinir oFFics Y 1,969,245 vBASKET y Walter Verhalen, Dallas, Tex. Application April 23, 1932, Serial No. 607,083 1 claim. (er 40-7) This invention relates to baskets and it has particular reference to new and useful improvements in basketsl of the kind and type employed as receptacles for vegetables, fruit and other com- -modities It is the principal object of the invention to provide, as a new article of manufacture, a basket whose construction permits of the incorporation of a label, flap, tag or strip of such material and design that it may be flexed to conform with the contour of the basket and stapled or otherwise secured to the fabrication of the basket and upon the surface of which may be stamped, printed or otherwise afxed the name of the merchant, distributor or vendor of the goods contained in the basket or of the basket itself.

Heretofore, baskets of the character specified, being constructed of narrow, iiexible strips of Wood or its equivalent have no provisions by vwhich the merchant or manufacturer might mark or label the basket except by aiiixing his trademark or the like within the width of one of the slats or strips. In View of the fact that these slats or strips are necessarily narrow in width, the mark, must of necessity be small and sometimes illegible.

Accordingly, the invention primarily comprehends the provision, as a new article of manufacture, of new and novel means by which suitable markings may be applied to baskets of the character specified of such dimensions as to be legible and distinguishable at a reasonable distance from the basket, thereby eXpediting the handling of shipments and the dispensation of the products contained in the baskets.

It has been the practice for basket manufacturers and distributors of produce and the like to aix their names and other indicia to the tops of the baskets. This practice is unsatisfactory, although the top provides a greater area for the reception of such indicia, in view of the fact that the top or cover is usually dispensed with by the merchant or vendor when the product is displayed for sale. Obviously, the consumer cannot then have knowledge as to the brand of the merchandise or by whom the basket was manufactured.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particular reference to its salient features of construction and arrangement of parts which will become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure l is a perspective view of a basket constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentaryY view, partly in section, showing the manner in which theV label or tag is aflixed to a basket.

Figure 3 is a detail view across Figure 4.

Figure i is a perspective view of another form of basket, showing a modified example of the manner in which the label is applied, and

Figure 5 is a further modification of the label.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, 1 designates a conventional type of fruit and vegetable basket, generally known as a straight side basket and has reinforcing hoops 2, 3 and 4, the middle hoop 3 being so arranged as to embrace the middle of the basket. Baskets of this character and for the purpose described are usually constructed of thin strips of wood in overlappingrelationship as shown. These strips are usually very narrow and will not accommodate any marking suggestive of N the contents of the basket or the brand of the manufacturer except in very small letters which are indistinct at a short distance. Moreover, the ink, paint or the uid used in marking the baskets is sometimes absorbed by the wood and is inclined to become illegible and therefore does not provide a suitable marking.

As stated previously, a number of basket manufacturers and others apply their mark and brands to the top or cover. When the basket is received by the produce vendors, the top is immediately removed and dispensed with and the merchandise, in sonic instances, is sold directly from the basket. The basket manufacturers and merchants will therefore not have the benefit derived through the display of the brand or mark carried by the cover.

The present invention provides a panel, label or tag 5, asshown in Figures 1 and 2, whose upper and lower ends are secured beneath the hoops 2 and 3 by means of the staples 6, which are conventional for securing the strips or staves to the hoops. As apparent in Figures 1 and 2, the panel 5 overreaches a series of the vertical strips constituting the walls of the basket and provides a greater area or surface on which the manufacturers or merchants brand or trademark may be applied.A

ln Figures 3 and 4 is shown a basket 7, whose cross sectional construction is substantially the same as that of the basket 1 and is also provided with hoops, which in the present case are designated at 8, 9 and 10. The fragmentary cross section in Figure 3 is taken transversely through the panel 11 shown in Figure 4 and disclosesY the 110 taken transversely l'zo relationship of the slats or strips 12 which comprise the wallsof the basket 7.

The modified form shown in Figure 4-is substantially the same as the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 except that instead of terminating midway between the top vand bottom of the basket7 panel extends under the hoop 9 and its lower end is secured by staples 13 under. the bottom hoop 10. Thus an even greater area or surface is provided to accommo- Y date the brand or mark of the manufacturer or merchant.

A further modification is shown in Figure 5 in which the basket 14 is constructed similar to the basket 1 and the panel'l5 extends substan tially half way around the basket. The panel is secured by having its upper end passed under the upper hoop 16 and stapled and its lower end is secured beneath the intermediate hoop 17 and similarly stapled.

The invention vis obviously not limited to the type of basket constructed of staples but may also be adopted and applied successfully in bas-' ,body having stapled hoops encircling its top and bottom and an intermediate hoop encircling its middle, a panel composed of flexible' material bent to conform with the side of said body and positioned to overlie certain of said staves and with its top and bottom edges underlying and terminating with the top and intermediate hoops of said body respectively, said panel being secured against displacement by the hoop retaining staples.

WALTER VERHALEN.. v 

